Easy Cure

Easy Cure was a short-lived British rock band from Crawley, Sussex formed during the late 1970s by former members of Malice. Easy Cure went on to fame when, after several lineup changes, they became The Cure.

History

Robert Smith (guitar), Porl Thompson (lead guitar), Michael Dempsey (bass guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums), began performing together in a late line up of Malice in 1976, after Tolhurst and Thompson replaced Malice's original drummer and lead guitarist. When Malice's vocalist Martin Creasy quit the band, they took the new name Easy Cure in January 1977 from a song written by Tolhurst.^[1]

During March 1977 Easy Cure hired and fired a vocalist known only as Gary X, who by April had been replaced by Peter O'Toole (not the actor). This lineup gave their first live performance on 24 April at Saint Edward's Hall, Crawley, Sussex, England. On 5 May Easy Cure made the first of many regular live appearances at the Crawley pub then known as The Rocket. Within the same month, the band recorded a demo in Robert's parents' house, entered and won a talent contest and signed a recording contract with German record label Ariola-Hansa on 18 May.^[2]

In September Peter O’Toole left the group to live on a Kibbutz in Israel, and Robert Smith assumed vocal duties in his place. He has remained the group's frontman (both as Easy Cure and The Cure) up to the present day (40 years in September 2017). The new fourpiece of Robert, Porl, Michael, and Laurence recorded their first studio demo sessions as Easy Cure for Hansa at SAV Studios in London between October and November 1977.^[3]

They continued to perform regularly around Crawley (including The Rocket, St. Edward's, and Queen's Square in particular) throughout 1977 and 1978. On 19 February 1978 they were joined at The Rocket for the first time by a support band from Horley called Lockjaw, featuring bassist Simon Gallup.^[4] Hansa was dissatisfied with the group's demos and did not wish to release "Killing an Arab". The label suggested that the band attempt cover versions instead. They refused, and by March 1978 Easy Cure's contract with the label had been dissolved.^[5]

Although the band never officially released anything as Easy Cure, bootlegs of their early demos have been in circulation for a number of years,^[6] and in 2004 the Deluxe Edition of The Cure's 1979 album Three Imaginary Boys was released with a rarities bonus disc featuring a number of Easy Cure demo and live recordings from 1977 and 1978.

On 22 April 1978, Easy Cure played their last gig at the Montefiore Institute Hall (in the Three Bridges neighbourhood of Crawley)^[7] before guitarist Porl Thompson was dropped from the lineup because his lead guitar style was at odds with Smith's growing preference for minimalist songwriting.^[8] The new trio shortened their name to The Cure.

Members

• Robert Smith – guitar (January 1977–April 1978), vocals (September 1977–April 1978)
• Michael Dempsey – bass guitar (January 1977–April 1978)
• Porl Thompson – lead guitar (January 1977–April 1978)
• Laurence Tolhurst – drums (January 1977–April 1978)
• Gary Groves – drums (August 1976-December 1976)
• Peter O'Toole – vocals (April–September 1977)

Easy Cure members in The Cure

• Robert Smith has remained frontman for The Cure ever since.
• Porl Thompson has since rejoined The Cure twice; once in 1983 (until 1993) and more recently in 2005 (until 2011). He has remained closely involved with the band in various other capacities;. He and his design company Parched Art have produced much of The Cure's artwork over the years. He has played in several other bands with former members of The Cure (Cult Hero, The Glove, Shelleyan Orphan and Babacar), and he married Robert Smith's sister Janet.
• Michael Dempsey left The Cure in 1979, while Laurence Tolhurst left in 1989.

References